Undergraduate Research: International Perspectives on VN

“… universities should treat learning as not yet wholly solved problems and hence always in research mode”(Humboldt, 1810 )

Please • Sit in groups of 3-4 ….• Ensure you have session handout

Discuss whether Humboldt’s vision is what should and could be ‘delivered’ for all undergraduate students in all disciplines in ( Vietnamese ) higher education/ or at DNU. For the moment these discussions are private!

Alan Jenkins; Professor Emeritus Oxford Brookes UK;

• Teacher and to an extent a researcher of (Human) Geography and Contemporary China studies• Undergraduate UCL London : postgrad Madison

Wisconsin • Long taught at Oxford Brookes (UK) a pioneer in

adapting US style credit based modular courses • Then moved into educational development and

developed interests in generic and discipline based educational development

• Research and policy interests in teaching /discipline research relations and in adapting US style ‘undergraduate research’ to other national contexts

Selective undergraduate research or for all?

Our intellectual starting point is Humboldt’s vision for higher education which arguably recently finds its strongest current manifestation in the US undergraduate research programmes which are generally for selected students. We argue the task now is to ‘reinvent’ the curriculum to ensure that all undergraduate students in all higher education institutions learn through some form of research or inquiry. (Jenkins and Healey 2009, emphasis added)

Undergraduate research and inquiry: line-up A

‘Undergraduate research should be for ALL undergraduates’

Strongly ------------------------------ Strongly

Agree Disagree

Our argument: a ‘research active curriculum’

All undergraduate students in all higher education institutions should experience learning through, and about, research and inquiry.

We argue, as does much recent US experience, that such curricular experience should and can be mainstreamed for all or many students through a research-active curriculum. We argue that this can be achieved through structured interventions at course team, departmental, institutional and national levels. ( Healey and Jenkins, 2009, 3)

Undergraduate research : Line up B

It would be both desirable and practical for all undergraduates at DNU in all subjects to learn through doing research

________________________________

Agree Disagree

What is undergraduate research and inquiry?

“An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline”

Council On Undergraduate Research

Adopts a broad definition of the undergraduate as researcher to describe student engagement at all levels in research and inquiry into disciplinary, professional and community-based problems and issues

University of Gloucestershire

“Programmes that support undergraduate research should: – Encourage and enable students to learn in ways that parallel or

reflect the ways faculty/staff themselves research/learn in their discipline/professional area.

Jenkins 2008

Available from the HE Academy http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/rtnexus.htm

Session structure

1 Setting the scene2 Exploring your views 3 Conceptual and Research Perspectives4 Different ways of integrating teaching and

research5 Case studies of mainstreaming

undergraduate research and inquiry 6 Conclusion: your perspectives 7 Issues of curriculum design and

coherence8 Conclusion: my perspectives

A value statement

• “We want all students to access the benefits exposure to teaching informed by research can bring. … We believe an understanding of the research process—asking the right questions in the right way; conducting experiments; and collating and evaluating information—must be a key part of any undergraduate curriculum.”—Bill Rammell MP, U.K., Minister of State for Higher Education (2006)

Difficult Research Evidence

Loosely Coupled “Based on this review we concluded that the common belief that teaching and research were inextricably intertwined is an enduring myth. At best teaching and research are very loosely coupled" (Hattie and Marsh, 1996)

At Arms length Students at “arms length” from the worlds of university research (Brew, 2006)

Difficult Evidence of Institutional Practice and Policy

"..The research universities have often failed, and continue to fail their undergraduate populations, thousands of students graduate without seeing the world - famous professors or tasting genuine research." (U. S.) Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University (2003,3)

Different ways of linking teaching and research :handout p 4

• Learning about others’ research

• Learning to do research – research methods

• Learning in research mode – enquiry based

• Pedagogic research – enquiring and reflecting on learning

STUDENTS AS PARTICIPANTS

EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH CONTENT

EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH PROCESSES AND PROBLEMS

STUDENTS AS AUDIENCE

Research-tutored Research-based

Research-led Research-oriented

The nature of undergraduate research and inquiry

Using that typology/language

Consider ONE of these case studies from the handout

• Learning is based on research of previous students, History of science• • Students Research about Students’ Quality of Life, Psychology

• Modelling the research experience: tourism students’ virtual conference at University of Lincoln, UK

• Inquiry-based learning in first-year information management at the University of Sheffield, UK

Don’t get lost in is this case study ‘good’ or ‘bad’ practice ? Let’s see it as ‘interesting practice’

Using the language of the handout page 1-2 ; what forms of teaching /research links do you see there ?

What is undergraduate research and inquiry? Handout p 2

“Programmes that seek to encourage or support undergraduate research should:

– Encourage and enable students to learn in ways that parallel or reflect the ways faculty/staff themselves research/learn in their discipline/professional area.

– Build research opportunities into the formative processes and summative outcomes of course assessment for students in ways that retrace and register how faculty/staff develop and disseminate their own research/learning in their own discipline/professional area, e.g. through undergraduate research journals, student research conferences, exhibitions ….

– Ensure that the programme is clearly visible and recognised as ‘undergraduate research’ by the university communities (in particular students) and parents, the local community, and possible external sponsors and stakeholders” (Jenkins 2008).

Course team and department strategies:

see Section 3 p 6

• Review course team …understanding and practice of undergraduate research and inquiry

• Review what is already in place in your programme• Develop a set of related curricula interventions

starting in year one • Give students experience of undertaking

research and inquiry with different levels of independence

• Link undergraduate research and inquiry to student employability

• Ensure assessment practices and policies support students as researchers

• Include all and be selective

A central challenge

Institutions and departments should “make it possible for every student to participate in at least two high-impact activities during his or her undergraduate program, one in the first year, and one taken later in relation to the major field. … Ideally, institutions would structure the curriculum and other learning opportunities so that one high-impact activity is available to every student every year.”

Kuh (2008,19-20) emphasis added

Mainstreaming undergraduate research & inquiry: Your conclusions

What conclusions / observations do YOU now make about the view that all undergraduate students should:

“experience the process of artistic and scientific productivity” (Hattie and Marsh, 1966, 544)

and in particular that this should be achieved by ‘mainstreaming’ undergraduate research and inquiry

YOUR observations are …

Mainstreaming undergraduate research & inquiry: Your conclusions

YOUR observations on what can /should be done at your institution are …

YOUR observations on what your unit could /should do are …..

Mainstreaming undergraduate research & inquiry: My Conclusions

• Getting students to learn through doing research is a powerful way to re-link teaching and research for all students

• Adopting a broader definition of undergraduate research is a way forward which should benefit the learning of students in institutions with a range of different missions

• For some people though this may dilute what is undergraduate research

• Key institutional challenges include introducing inquiry / research in year one; balancing opportunities for all and for selected students; and ensuring a structured research experience through all undergraduate programmes.

• Institutional and national research policies could more effectively support undergraduate research and inquiry